GOP Presidential Hopefuls Fail Women Voters

Washington, D. C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued the following statement regarding Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum’s muted responses to Rush Limbaugh’s despicable comments toward Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student who testified at a congressional hearing in support of contraceptive coverage. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have denounced Limbaugh’s comments. However, the Republican candidates for president have not.

“I am alarmed that these politicians who are running for the highest office in the nation failed to address Rush Limbaugh’s vulgar comments head on.“ Keenan continued, “Today, voters go to the polls in 11 states to vote their convictions. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have made their views clear: their refusal to challenge Limbaugh underscores the disregard they have for women.”

Last week, Limbaugh hit the airwaves calling Fluke everything from a “slut” to a “prostitute” because of her outspoken support of President Obama’s policy ensuring contraceptive coverage for women. Limbaugh received a firestorm of public backlash and loss of program sponsors, prompting him to make a half-hearted apology.

“Rush Limbaugh’s empty apology comes only after he began to lose support from his sponsors,” Keenan continued. “He mocked the importance of birth control to women’s health by making rude and inappropriate comments in an attempt to intimidate and shame Ms. Fluke. American women and men have grown tired of these incessant attacks by anti-choice bullies when it comes to our reproductive health. Why should women trust that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum would do what’s right if elected when they won’t denounce misogyny when they hear it?”